Steering-wheel for motor-vehicles.



PATENTED APR. 4,1905. 1-]. J5 LONN.

STEERING WHEEL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

- APPLlGATlON EZLBD APR. 8, 190%.

'NrTEn STATES Patented April 4, 1905.

PATENT FICE'.

\ EDWARD JULius LONN, or LAroRTE, mniANAfAssmNoR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS..TO AUTOCAR COMPANY, or ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

I STEERING-I-W'HEEL FQR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming: part of Letters Patent No. 786,7'i'2, dated April4, 1905.

' Application filed April 8, 1904. Serial No. 202.173. I

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, EnwAnn Jumps LoNN, a citizen of the-United States,residing at Le: port-e, in the county of 'Leporte and State of Indiana,have in ventedcertein new and useful Improvements in Steering-WheelsforMotor- Vehicles. of which the following-is e. specification, referencebeing hed therein to the accompanyin'g drawings.

My invention relates to certein new end useful improvements insteeringwvheels for bicycles. automobiles. or other such like veinches;and it consists. in e revo'luble hand grip or grips formed to beinserted in the rim or periphery of a steering wheel, whereto bysuitable means valves or other controlling mechanisms are connected tobe regulated revoluble'grip or grips situated conveniently in the rim orperiphery of e steering-wheel,

end when two such grips are employed the same are preferably disposed indiametrically opposite positions in the rim or periphery of thesteering-Wheel, whereby the operator may manipulate valves or othercontrolling means,

' in connection with the motive power of the vehicle upon which thistype of stee1-ing-wl1eel is inountcd,\vitliout removing his hands fromthe rim of" said steering wheel; also. to construct such revoluble gripor grips and mount the same revolubly idthe periphery of the face.

wheel, so that said periphery will present a r'egulzugsmooth, endunbroken peripheral surconstruction of steering-wheel illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which similar numerals of reference designatelike parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention of e-steering --wheel, showingthe periphery thereof out out or gepped to receive my invention of ehand-grip wherein it .is remov- 'ebly mounted. Fig. 2 is en elevetionelview of the same looking in the direction of the arrow a. Fig. 3 is nside elevetionel view of the same looking in the direction of the m wt.

l e'ttein these objects by means of the (See Fig. 2.) Fig. 4 is anenlarged detail view 5 of the hand-grip. Fi'g, 5isan endbearing. forthesanieL Fig. 6 is sin-enlarged detail view of one of the end bearings;showing the securing-screw in dotted lines.'-whereby said bearings aresecured to the ends of the periphery of the wheel. Fig.7 is arr enlargeddetail view of the lever-arm and its sleeve. Fig. 8 is an enlargeddetail view of'the'trunnions of the hand-grip. Fig. 9 is an end view ofthe same.

11 is an end view of the same. Fig. 12 is ,an enlerged view of thehand-grip-sleeve-bushing; and Fig; 13 is a plen viewof a steering.-wheel, showing the periphery thereof'cut out 5 or gspped ondiametrically opposite sides to receive hand-grips The steering-wheelmaybe of any suitable form of construction; but I prefer to c'onstru'ctthe erms 1 of a suitable metal and mount on 7 the ends of the said armsa periphery'Z, preferably of wood, and the latter may 'be bolted orotherwise. secured to the ends of the arms 1, and by this form ofconstruction a light and very strong .vvheel'is obtained. 1

The. pcriphery2 is cut out or gapped to re; ceive the hand-grip 3. andon the gappnds of the rim or periphery 2 of the steeringwheel aresecured the hand-grip bearings 4. v The ends of the rim or periphery 2of the steer- 0 ingswheel are reduced to'receive tile thimbles 5 of saidbearings 4, a'nd'the.seidlthimbles 5 are accurately iitted'in the en isof the rim or periphery 2 and are secured to the latter by suiteblesecuring-screws 6, which pass through the ends of the rim 2 or;periphery of the steering-w heel and are screw d-jn threaded holesformed in the tlji mfil'e's'd to securely hold and retain said beari ngs4 in their position relatively/,teeueh other and'centrally 9 with therevoluble center oraxis of the grip 3, so thattheir journeled bearings 7WlllbB directly opposite eech other and in alinement with the axis ofthe grip 3 to receive the trunnions 8; y The hand-grip 3 n1ey'beof'woodor any other insulating or nop-couducting materiel, f such esvulcanized rubber, end is preferably Fig. 10 is an enlargedyiew of 1'"another form of the trunnion-bearing. Fig;

of a round form and of a larger diameter at its center and taperedgradually to its ends.

- The outer sleeve-or bushing 9 is fitted in the hand-grip 3 to extendlongitudinally therethrough, and on one of the prolonged ends of thesaid sleeve is secured the hub 10 of the lever-arm 11. The inner sleeve'12 is fitted in the bore of the outer sleeve 9 and extends flush withthe ends of the latter, and the said sleeves are secured firmly in thehand-grip 3 by means of the securing-screws 13, which pass through saidhand-grip at or near the ends thereof, through the-outer sleeve 9, andare screwed into the inner sleeve 12, and the projecting end of the saidscrews engage the grooves 14, formed in the trunnions 8.

The trunnions 8 are fitted in the ends of the bore of the inner sleeve12 and are arranged to slide longitudinally therein, and between thesaid trunnions is situated a coil spring 15, by means of which the saidtrunnions 8 are forced outwardly when the hand-grip 3 is placed inposition to cause the trunnions 8 to enter their bearings 7 and projectin said bearings sufiiciently' to forma substantial journal-support.

The bearings 4 may be made in various other, ways, one of which isillustrated in ,QFigsI 10 and 11, in which thecylindrical threadedportion 16 is screwed intothe gap 'ends of the periphery 2 of thesteering-wheel till the collars 17 fit up close toandbear against thesaid gap ends of the periphery 2, and the hand-grip 3 is arrangedtofit'between said' hearings in the manner simiiarte the bearingsillustrated in' Figs. 5 and 6.

To apply the hand-grip to the steeringwheel, all thatis necessary to bedoneis to press the trunnions 8 inwardly and insert the handgrip 3,equipped with its lever 11, in position in the gap of the periphery ofthe steeringwheel, and when the same is p aced centrally therein thespring 15, situated between thesaid end trunnions 8, will force thetrunnions 8 outwardly to enter and form a sufiicient ournal-bearing inthe bearings '7. An-arm 11, as previously described, is secured on thesleeve 9 to turn with the .haudgrip 3 and in position thereon to besituated at one end of said sleeve 9, and consequently -at one end ofthe hand-grip 3, and to the free "endpf the said-arm is secured a rod orsome other connecting means to'connect with suitable valves,'levers, orothercoptrolling mechanisms," whereby thelatter may be manipuiated.Afsimilar hand-grip'maybe' inserted 'in the periphery 2 of'thesteering-wheel, as shown in dotted lines, (see Fig: 1,) on the sidedirectly opposite the first-mentioned handgrip and to be manipulated inthe same way, it

will be observed, so that the operator may readily grasp bothhand-gripswhen manipulating the steering-wheel, andtherehy control two valves orcontrolling mechanisms without removing his hands from the rim or periphcry of the steering-wheel.

It is clear that by the means above described the more importantcontrolling mechanism may be connected to thehand-grips, and saidmechanism can be readily manipulated with out the necessity of theoperator removing his hands from the steering-wheel to divide hisattention, which in the matter of highspeed vehicles is necessarilyrequired to be concentrated on the steering-wheel mechanism in orderthat the vehicle be safely manipulated and guided. This is such anohvious fact that further description is unnecessary.

Having thus fully described this my invention, what I claim as new anduseful, and desire to cover by Letters Patent of the United Statestherefor, is-- 1. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with the rimthereof, of ahand-grip revolubly mounted in said rim.

'2. In a hand steering-wheel, the comhinationwith the rounded rimthereof, of a handgrip inserted and revolubly mounted in said I rim toform a regular contour.

3. Controllingmeanscomprisingasteermgwheel and an independently-movablehandhold therein whichis adapted to be connected to an operative device.I 4. Controllingmeanscomprising'asteiermgwheel and a pair ofindependently-movable handholds therein which are adapted tubeconfnected to operative devices.

, 5. In a' nand steering-wheel, the combination with an annular rimthereof provided" with a hand-grip-receiving gap, of a handgrip fittedto extend longitudinally in said gap to'dlose the' same, and meansforrevolubly supportingsaid hand-grip therein.

6. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination-with the rim thereofprovided with-a in said gap, trunnions on the ends of said grip andthimbles securedto the gap, ends of the rim. y

7. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with the rim thereofprovided with a hand-grip-receiving gap.-thimbles fitted andhand-grip-receiving gap", of a hand-grip fitted secured to the gap endsof said rim. of a-handgrip fitted to andextendinglongitudinally be tweensaid thimloles, and hand-grip trunnions mounted in said thimble's.

8. In a hand steering-wheel, the combinetionwiththe rim thereof providedwith'a hand-grip-reizeiving gap, thimbles fitted and secured to the gapends of said rim, of a handgrip fitted and extending longitudinallybetweensaid thimbles, hand-grip trunnions in said thimbles and alever-arm connected to said hand-grip.

' 9. In a hand steerin'g-wheel-,'the combin ation with the rim thereofprovided with a hand-grip-receiving gap, thimbles fitted to and rim andmeans connected to each of said revoluble hand-grips vl1erebycontrolling mechanisms may be operated independently.

- 11. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with'the rim thereofprovided with a plu- 'rality ofhand-grip gaps, of a grip mounted in eachof said gaps and means connected to each of the said revolublehand-grips whereby the controlling mechanisms may he operatedindependently.

12. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with the rounded rimthereof provided with a plurality of hand-grip gaps, of a hand gripfitted and revolubly mounted in eachof said gaps to form a continuousand unbroken peripheral contour.

13. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with the rim thereofprovided with a hand grip-receiving gap, thimhles [itted to and securedto the gap ends of said rim, of a sleeve fitted and extendinglongitudinally between said thimbles, a lever-arm secured on one of theends of said sleeve, a hand-grip mounted on said sleeve, end trunnionsmounted in the ends of said sleeve and arranged tolaccurately [it insaid end thimhles.

14. In a hand steering-wheel, the comhina tion with the rim thereo"provided with a handgrip-receiving gap, thimhlcs fitted to and sesaidthimbles a lever-arm securedon one of the ends of the said sleeve, ahand-grip monnt-. ed on said sleeve and encircling the same, end

trunnions yieldingly mounted in the ends of said sleeve and arranged tobe moved into said thimbles when said hand-grip is placedin position.

15. In a hand steering-wheel, the combinati on with the rimthereofprovided with a handgrip-receiving gap, thimbles fitted to and securedto the gap ends of said rim, of a sleeve fitted and extendinglongitudinally between said thimbles, a lever-arm secured on one of theends of the said sleeve, a hand grip mounted on said sleeve andencircling the same, end trunnions mounted in the ends of said sleeve,and a spring situated in said sleeve between said trunnions for movingthe latter longitu: dinally.

16. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with'thc rim thereofprovided with ahandgri 'i-receiving gap, thimbles fitted to and securedto the gap ends of said rim, of an outer sleeve fitted and extendinglongitudinally between said thimblcs, a lever-arm secured on one of theends of the said outer sleeve, an

inner sleeve mounted within the aforesaid sleeve, a handgrip mounted onsaid outer sleeve and enc1reling the same, end trunnions mounted in theends of said inner sleeve,

means for extending the said trunnions and presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD JULIUS LONN.

Witnesses:

W. R. SMITH, EsTnLLA ANDERSON.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in r

